Scientists observe, explore the universe through widening knowledge. Believers, awed by its splendor, enter into relationship, becoming participants in this cosmos. Both approaches are appropriate. A renowned astrophysicist brings them into a conversation that will change the way you see life. This book is different in two ways: It is (i) a science-and-religion book written by a prominent and active scientist. The book is (ii) based on personal experience and biblical theology, i.e. not trying to derive God s existence from science. It is not exploiting gaps or coincidences in science as do Creationism and Intelligent Design, and is critical on any scientific inferences on the notion of God (Natural Theology). Cosmic fine-tuning and other coincidences are no proof of God, but are amazing, astounding and will never be fully explained. Amazement is the appropriate emotional perception of reality. It implies that the objective world is not a matter of course and may well not exist at all; thus reality, at times, is experienced to be very special. In such an aha moment, essentials like our lifetime, the beauty of nature, the habitability of planet Earth or the universe are sensed to be like undeserved gifts. In the light of such a gift experience, the universe is metaphorically interpreted and existentially believed as a divine Creation, thus becomes trustable and meaningful. Science cannot create such faith but can foster it. "In the modern worldview the universe develops continuously from the Big Bang to the formation of stars and planets, and finally to biological creatures. Is God necessary to explain the universe? If no, is the idea of a Creator excluded by modern science? Why to continue speaking of a Creator and to believe (trust and hope) in His continuing creation when God cannot be demonstrated in scientific data? Because we have other evidence Arnold Benz, a renowned astrophysicist and Christian, insists that human perception reaches further than science and demonstrates this in various examples, personal, biblical and literary. Cosmic fine-tuning and other coincidences are no proof of God, but are amazing, astounding and will never be fully explained. Amazement is the appropriate emotional perception of reality. It implies that the objective world is not a matter of course and may well not exist at all; thus reality, at times, is experienced to be very special. In such an aha moment, essentials like our lifetime, the beauty of nature, the habitability of planet Earth or the universe are sensed to be like undeserved gifts. In the light of such a gift experience, the universe is metaphorically interpreted and existentially believed as a divine Creation, thus becomes trustable and meaningful. Science cannot create such faith but can foster it. "
